1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus for use with a flexible double-sided magnetic disk and, more particularly, to a mechanism for supporting magnetic heads in such an apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
A typical known mechanism for supporting magnetic heads in a recording and reproducing apparatus for use with a flexible double-sided disk has, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 124910/1976 for example, flexible supporting means for supporting both magnetic heads and resilient means such as leaf springs which resiliently press the magnetic heads onto both surfaces of the magnetic disk. This arrangement is advantageous in that it reduces the tendency for damage and wear of the disk surface due to impact at the time of head loading, and permits the heads to well follow up the undulation of the magnetic disk. On the other hand, this known mechanism requires a long time for the head to be settled in contact with the disk surface after the head loading, as well as for the settling of the head in the seeking operation. This construction employing independent resilient supports for both magnetic heads makes it difficult to keep both magnetic heads in alignment during the assembly.
In order to obviate these problems, Japanese Patent Publication No. 15866/1983 proposes a mechanism in which one of the magnetic heads is fixed. This arrangement cannot overcome the problem of damaging or wear of the disk surface due to impact caused during head loading. In addition, the damage and wear of the disk surface tend to occur even during steady rotation of the disk, because the disk is maintained in tight contact with the fixed magnetic head by the force produced by the other magnetic head. The fixed magnetic head is fixed against the movement in the direction perpendicular to the disk surface. Therefore, various troubles or difficulties are encountered such as offtracking or inferior contact between the head and the disk surface, due to inaccurate positioning of the fixed magnetic head with respect to a reference plane on the apparatus.